Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal on Saturday inspected the ongoing work to clear legacy waste at the Bhalswa landfill and directed civic officials to ensure that the December 31 deadline is met.He also asked officials to ensure that the processing of fresh waste reaching the site does not slow down remediation efforts.The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) informed the Minister that 99.07 lakh metric tons of legacy waste had been remediated at the Bhalswa dumpsite till July 31. The remaining legacy waste is expected to be cleared by October 15, while waste accumulated at the site up to March 2026 is targeted for clearance by December 31, the MCD said.Speaking after the visit, the Minister said that the processing of legacy waste and scientific disposal were being accelerated in “mission mode” using modern technologies. He added that efforts were also being made to ensure compliance with environmental standards and to improve cleanliness, public health, air quality, and civic amenities in surrounding areas.“With coordinated efforts of the Central and Delhi governments, all necessary steps are being taken on a war footing to ensure the complete closure of the Bhalswa landfill within the stipulated timeframe,” he said.Bhalswa is one of Delhi’s three legacy dumpsites, along with Ghazipur and Okhla, where biomining and remediation are under way to reclaim land and reduce environmental hazards.After multiple delays, Okhla and Bhalswa are now scheduled to be cleared by December 2026, while Ghazipur is slated for clearance by December 2027. Published - August 02, 2026 01:05 am IST